CARSON, Calif. – Back in August, Cardinals coach Steve Wilks chose to practice his team outdoors several times during training camp, reasoning that working in 100-degree heat would build a “callus” that would serve the team well later.

Three months later, the only calluses the Cardinals have are the ones on their backsides that have formed from absorbing beating after beating.

It’s hard to say if their 45-10 loss Sunday to the Chargers at the StubHub Center was the Cardinals’ most embarrassing of the season. Worse than losing the opener at home to Washington by 18 points? The 34-0 bludgeoning by the Rams? The 45-10 drubbing at home to the Broncos? Last week’s loss to the Raiders?

The fact that it can be debated speaks volumes about how bad the Cardinals have been.

Until Sunday, however, I thought the Cardinals continued to play hard throughout for themselves and Wilks.

This game was different. After the first quarter, too many Cardinals players didn't seem much interested in putting up a fight by, you know, trying to block and tackle and perform other activities related to football.

Wilks denied this. Coaches always do because it’s a death knell for their futures. There is no bigger condemnation in sports than to acknowledge there was a lack of effort.

“I don’t think those guys quit,” Wilks said. “I’m not even going to stand up and say those guys quit. Do we have to play better? Of course we do.”

Through 10 games, I continued to think Wilks would return in 2019. He's a rookie coach who failed at finding an offensive coordinator, who went through training camp without a general manager, who inherited a roster that wasn’t as talented as everyone thought, who had to switch quarterbacks, who was learning what his defensive players could and couldn’t do.

But the 11th game – Sunday’s loss to the Chargers – looked worse, like “I don't give a damn” bad.

And with a record now of 2-9, the chances of Wilks returning for a second season don’t seem great.

The word’s out in the NFL: Present the Cardinals a little adversity and watch them scurry for safer places. They lack toughness and resiliency.

That was obvious early in the second quarter. The Cardinals led, 10-7, when a sack and forced fumble by defensive tackle Rodney Gunter gave them the ball at the Chargers’ 35-yard line.

In the next five minutes, the following happened:

Seven yards were gained in three plays.

Phil Dawson missed a 46-yard field goal.

Chargers running back Melvin Gordon rushed 28 yards for a touchdown.

Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen had a pass intercepted.

Gordon scored another touchdown.

A 10-7 lead had turned into a 21-10 deficit, and Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was well on his way to completing 25 consecutive passes to open the game, an NFL record.

The Chargers scored 28 points in the quarter, equaling the second-most points given up by the Cardinals in any quarter since 1940. After falling behind 10-0, the Chargers scored the next 45 points. They hadn't scored 45 points without the other team responding since 1969.

All of the above is an indictment of the Cardinals and Wilks, who I thought would survive this debacle of a season and get at least one more chance to show that he can do more than interview well and “command a room.”

After Sunday, I’m not so sure. A team listening and following its coach doesn’t play like the Cardinals did.

If any of the Cardinals agreed, they didn’t want to admit it after the game, at least not the ones I talked to.

Defensive end Chandler Jones said that as a captain, he wouldn’t allow that.

So why does this team have a hard time responding to adversity?

“I wouldn’t use that (phrase),” he said. “I would say more that we just have to execute. The players have to really buy into what coaches are coaching.”

Defensive tackle Corey Peters said players aren't doing what they are coached to do. He’s said that same thing after several games this year. Asked why that continues to be a problem, Peters replied:

“You’d have to ask them.

“All I know how to do is put my head down and go back to work when things aren’t going right. I think that’s the best way to approach things in football and in life.”

It is, but judging by Sunday’s game, not enough other Cardinals believe that. Instead of developing a callus of toughness, they've grown one made of indifference. That one is going to be hard to remove over the last five weeks of the season.